


the late.

by jeonghammy



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, Multi, Pushing Daisies AU, dessert shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 16:52:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8900215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeonghammy/pseuds/jeonghammy
Summary: It's difficult to bear with the knowledge of your childhood sweetheart's death, but what if you're able to bring them back to life?
All's well that ends well with Seungcheol reanimating the recently deceased Yoon Jeonghan with the magic touch of his finger. Unfortunately, things get complicated when he realizes he’s unable to touch Jeonghan ever again or he’s dead again. Well, forever.
( pushing daisies au )





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I've working on this for a very, VERY long time and just now hopping back into it... yikes. I'm not really sure if I'll continue, really depends if you guys like it and I'll see what I wanna do from there! There also might be some other conflicting ships introduced if I decide to continue.
> 
> There's a lot of details in the story I haven't worked out yet, so I'm sure you're going to be a bit confused how vague some parts are. All you really gotta know for now is that S.Coups has the ability to bring the dead back to life with his touch. Everything else, have fun with your imagination, for now ( or look up Pushing Daisies, it's a great show )!!!
> 
> Enjoy!

The boy held his drink like something easily dropped. Grasped the warmth with small pauses, releasing at small moments, but quick to reattach. His fingers were a heated red, almost as if all the blood in his body decided to sit in one spot. Especially convincing for how pale faced he looked.

 

It was a Monday morning but more of a Sunday night. The sky outside was dark much like the inside of the dessert shop. Imagine a few lights flickering and a few scattered individuals. Very true to a quiet Sunday night without much business.

 

Now that we’ve imagined that, imagine Seungcheol finally blinking as a sudden blur rushes by his table. Blinking down at his mug, the few crumpled sweeteners surrounding said mug, and finally at the back of his friend, Jeonghan. He watched as the other male stopped to retie his apron, but too tight as Seungcheol felt himself wince involuntarily. Blinked at the few strands of hair that managed out of his hair tie. Next, his face. Oh, he turned around by now.

 

Jeonghan held up five fingers with a squinted expression.

 

“Five minutes,” he mouthed.

 

It was a Monday morning and he hasn’t moved or prepared much. Very unlike him, being the sole owner as well as employee to the small shop, his mornings are usually very hustle and bustle. Just very quiet and lonely as he would prepare all of his goods for the day. He sees his days as very quiet and _acceptable_ . Sure, he recalls days he would surround himself with familiar faces he allowed to find familiar. He would allow himself to smile and laugh, tease and push a little, but without it, it’s _acceptable_ . _Acceptable_ is a word chosen to gently push away prying questions.

 

Things were different now.

 

It was a Monday morning and something happened last Friday afternoon.

 

\-----

 

_Last Friday afternoon. Seungcheol found himself feeling opposite to his future Monday morning: very excited. Although he might have appeared outwardly so, he was much more honest in his face. Jihoon would have confirmed after some prodding, but as a long-time friend and business partner, he had a silent understanding and left it alone once dragged out._

 

_After all, Yoon Jeonghan was due to arrive at exactly 5:45 PM at their shop. Why 5:45? Well, it was also another normal afternoon when he received a call from the long-long time friend while in the midst of baking. He later found a burnt tray of bread by the time he realized he forgot to end the call, following in his long-long time friend having a long-long time listening to a series of concerning kitchen noises and bickering from Jihoon._

_But the idea of 5:45 PM came simply as Jeonghan started, “Is 6 o’clock fine?”_

 

_“No, 5:45,” Seungcheol replied without a beat. Almost as if they were kids again. He could practically see Jeonghan’s grimace with his next words._

 

_“... Is there a reason for that?”_

 

_“For what?”_

 

_“For… 5:45.” Jeonghan almost sounded like he almost couldn’t manage to repeat the time. Maybe implying Seungcheol was putting too much work into a joke._

 

_“Why not more 15 minutes of time? Every minute counts if you’re here for the weekend, so I’d prefer an extra 15.”_

 

_Seungcheol could feel his throat close up the moment Jeonghan’s laugh reached across the phone. It was the sort of laugh that wasn’t easy to hold in. It’s been years and he couldn’t put the right picture in his head how he looked as compared to before. Taller? But he knew the laugh._

 

_“Sure,” Jeonghan replied with a smile in his voice, “since you like me so much.”_

 

_And Jeonghan never arrived at 5:45 PM._

 

_Or 5:46._

 

_5:47._

 

_5:48. 5:49. 6:00. 6:01. 6:02. And so on. The baker couldn’t properly identify the feeling of a broken heart until 8:43 PM. He remembers checking the clock at 8:41 when he noticed Jihoon and the other members of his team were congregating in the kitchen. His eyes darted at the clock for perhaps the 180th time when he noticed Jihoon was the only one who braved himself out. And he knew his business partner, but at this moment, long-long time friend: the face he held told him enough. He didn’t need to know more._

 

_Seungcheol remembers in his desperation he caught Jisoo’s eyes amongst the others. They were the most noticeable because he couldn’t figure out the emotion in them._

 

\-----

 

“I br--”

 

Seungcheol remembers fear, jumping in his seat with a gaping mouth.

 

“I broke another mug,” Jeonghan continues with wide eyes and a wide mouth, mirroring but softening as soon as Seungcheol appears calmed. Seungcheol practically shoved his eyeballs further into their sockets, sighing as he finally releases, along with all other tension in his fingers.

 

His eyes hold traces of red, probably not the liveliness Jeonghan might have hoped for. Jeonghan frowns, a very small frown he tries to mistake as a pout. Playful, but holding some concern.

 

After all, it’s been hard.

 

“I expected different.”

 

“I’ll… I’ll take care of it,” Seungcheol dodges the comment with eyes that also move, dodge the depth of the comment; wander and search.

 

“No, I didn’t really break anything yet. But I could if you’ll give me the time.”

 

Seungcheol’s eyes continue their wander and search. They can’t stay fixated. Searching a stable thought with a mind settled miles and miles away.

 

“S.Coups.”

 

Seungcheol immediately returns with a look.

 

“What?”

 

“I said Seungcheol.”

 

“No, you didn’t.”

 

“Seungcheol~”

 

“ _Don’t._ ”

 

Of course he sounds bothered, but Jeonghan is quick to slip into a giggle, Seungcheol’s own lips twitching into something that might resemble a smile. He won’t even admit that it’s actually a smile.

 

“I’ve… just been wondering how you are doing. I’m sure this isn’t easy. Having me.”

 

“Nah, not really,” Seungcheol plays back. “I could do without my helping hand who doesn’t actually do much helping.”

 

“Hey, hey…”

 

“I’m seeing a lot of tables with dirty dishes.”

 

“I’m taking a break out of concern.”

 

“Don’t use me for your laziness.”

 

“I’ll get to them after tending to you.”

 

All is fun and games until Jeonghan starts to reach across the table. Seungcheol is quick to stiffen in both expression and body. Jeonghan remembers, pulling his hand back to his side with a very real and honest frown this time.

 

“I forgot,” he doesn’t apologize. He’s excusing himself. Seungcheol isn’t even sure what he was planning to do.

 

It’s only been a short amount of time since… since _that_ happened. When Seungcheol made a choice that left his recently-deceased friend as his only friend. After all, everyone else has been sacrificed for his sake. He’s out of time for regrets and apologies, not that he had any time for excuses. He has yet to be approached with questions. Other than Jihoon, he recalls Chan sending him an innocent yet vague emoji that night. An attempt to reach out when the others made their own excuses to back off. Other than _that_ , a few rings from Jihoon until his phone fell silent.

 

He’s sure this is him being given time. It’s a matter of time until Jihoon is the one approaching him and starts asking questions.

 

With that thought in mind, Seungcheol looks back to Jeonghan who has already upped and left. He’s picking up dirty plates, having a laugh with some regulars who are already making themselves familiar with the new and only face. Asking questions it seems, as Seungcheol can see Jeonghan’s smile lighten with the touch of discomfort, meeting Seungcheol’s eyes across the room, so suddenly. Seeking an out.

 

He goes with it. The owner now stands and waves over his employee towards the kitchen. Jeonghan gives the customers a polite and quick bow before running out of sight.

 

“Watch--watch out, watch out!”

 

Jeonghan almost slams into Seungcheol when entering the back room, who barely sidesteps in time. A bit of a funny scene, thankfully only being between the two. Jeonghan naturally reached out to the side-stepping Seungcheol who did nothing to help him from stumbling over, watching Jeonghan go down, dirty plates and all.

 

There’s a moment of silence.

 

“Do…” Jeonghan starts to whine. “Do we really not have to touch each other? At all? You can’t even grab my sleeve or anything?”

 

“No, no,” Seungcheol says, actually attempting to help his friend back up with silverware he’s using as an extended hand. Jeonghan immediately bats it away.

 

“I can, but we have to be careful. If we’re not careful… that’s how you die. _Again_. And that’s what we don’t want happening.”

 

Another moment of silence.

 

It’s obvious that Jeonghan doesn’t know how to properly react, or even what to say. Not a sigh, not anything. There’s just silence and Seungcheol knows his friend won’t fight the fact he doesn’t want to die. _Again_. It’s a sad, inconvenient, selfish, terrible, lonely thought. Jeonghan instead helps himself and silently goes for the broom, starting to sweep up the broken pieces. Silence and eyes that no longer meet.

 

That’s when he feels Seungcheol’s hands reaching behind him.

 

“No worries. I put on gloves,” he murmurs softly. “I’m… I just want to fix your apron. It looks tight.”

 

_I’m sorry_ , is what he means. He’s sorry for a lot of things. It’s only Monday and he’s regretting so much, so late. He’s sorry that he can’t help more. He’s sorry that they stopped talking. He’s sorry they got back in contact too late. He’s sorry that he died and there was nothing more he could do. He’s sorry that he brought him back when he didn’t ask. He’s sorry that he has to hide. He’s sorry that he’s the reason he pushed away all of his friends. He’s sorry for so much, but he won’t say it. So, he’ll fix his apron for now.

 

Jeonghan obliges. He patiently waits while staring into the scattered pieces surrounding them both, idly wondering how many plates he dropped so far.

 

Seungcheol finishes tying the apron to his satisfaction, taking a moment to heave a sigh of his own and idly wonders about a backhug. He, himself knows he want to. Wants it, wants him. But Seungcheol steps back, deciding against it.

 

“Let’s get to work, yeah?”

 

After all, if they were to touch, just a bit, just a little and it’s all over. Seungcheol is thankful of his gift of life, but looking at Jeonghan, alone and surrounded by glass, he knows it’s nothing more than a curse.


End file.
